Auxiliary rudder for stern wheel vessels



March 14, 1944. J. DAWSON 2,344,236

AUXILIARY .RUD-DER FOR STERN WHEEL VESSELS Filed Aug. 9.194s 2 Sheets-Shee i 1 INVENTOR I Albertl Dawson March 14, 1944. A, J,'DAWSON AUXILIARY RUDDER FOR STERN WHEEL VESSELS Filed Aug. 9, .1943

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Albert J Dawson Patented Mar. 14, 1944 AUXILIARY RUDDER FOR STERN WHEEL VESSELS Albert J. Dawson, Pittsburgh, Pa., assignor to Draw Corporation, Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application August 9, 1943, Serial No. 497,921

9 Claims.

This invention relates to boats of the type widely used on inland waterways wherein a paddle Wheel at the stern of the vessel is employed as the means of propulsion, and particularly to the steering of such boats. l

. On stern wheel ships, the paddle wheel is supported on spaced horizontally extending beams that overhang the stern of the ship, and which are referred to as wheel beams or cylinder beams. The steering of the vessel is effected by a rudder or rudders at the stern of the vessel forwardly of the paddle wheel. It has heretofore been shown that more rapid response to the rudder may be secured by the use of one or more auxiliary rudders located back of the paddle wheel, these being commonly known as monkey rudders. The present invention 'pertains primarily to these monkey rudders.

It has been determined that the slip-stream developed immediately aft of a stern-Wheel-propelled ship, instead of being horizontal, has an upward inclination and then follows the wave form generated in the water back of the ship.

In accordance with the present invention the axes of the monkey rudders is substantially normal to the plane of the upwardly and rearwardly moving slip stream. By thus sloping or canting the axis of the rudder rotation, the average angle of attack of the approaching stream flow on that part of the rudder blade extending forwardly of the rudder post is, as nearly as practical, normal to the axis of rotation. This produces the greatest steering effort with the least area of rudder blade, and consequently reduces weight to a minimum and reduces the turning effort.

In addition to the axis of rotation for the monkey rudde being thus inclined, a substantial area of the rudder extends forwardly of the axis of rotation into the region of maximum velocity of the slip stream thus further increasing the effectiveness of the rudder.

My invention further provides a mounting for the rudder designed enabling the rudder stock on any particular vessel to be at the optimum angle for the particular vessel, this normally ranging between and 15 from vertical.

My invention may be fully understood by reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a more or less schematic view, partly in plan and partly in horizontal section showing the general organization and arrangement of the steering system.

Figure 2 is a detail view of one end of the wheel beam.

as approximately 10.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary detail view of the same part as shown in Figure 2, part of the view being in top elevation and part in section.

Figure 4 is a horizontal section through the rudder.

Figure 5 is a more or less schematic side view of the assembly shown in Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a rear elevation of the auxiliary rudder and support at the stern of the boat, one end of the structure being broken away.

Figure '7 is a detail section in the plane of line VII-VII of Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a detail view representing a transverse section through the auxiliary rudder post and its support.

Figure 9 is a detail view representing a vertical section through the assembly shown in Figure 8.

Figure 10 is a top plan view of one of the quadrants for turning the auxiliary rudder.

In the drawings, the stern of the ship is designated 2 and 3 is the splash board forwardly of the wheel. The hull and structure of the vesture of the vessel itself forms no part of my in- ,vention.

The paddle wheel, designated as 4 and shown only in dot-and-dash lines, is carried on the rearwardly projecting beams, these beams conventionally extending aft beyond the furthest periphery of the Wheel. They are designated 5, and are of like construction.

According to my invention, transverse beam, preferably formed of tubular sections is mounted adjacent the extreme rear ends of the wheel beams. This transverse beam has a lower tubular member 6, the ends 1 of which pass through the wheel beams. This is shown in Figures 2 and 3, where the web 50. of the wheel beam has an opening formed therein and a plate 517 affords additional support.

In addition to the lower member 6, the transverse beam or support has an upper tubular member I and there are diagonal struts 8 and at least two vertical struts '9, equidistantly spaced from the fore-and-aft axes of the ship.

As shown in Figure 5, the transverse beam or support is inclined from a vertical plane, the inclination normally being in a range of from 5 to 15 from vertical, with the top always inclined forwardly. In the drawings this angle is shown Braces I0 hold the support at the angle which has been determined upon. The projection of the ends of the lower tubular section 6 into openings in the wheel bolted to the rudder post.

beams provides a convenient mounting to enable the transverse support to be adjusted to the proper angle and then welded into place.

At the bottom of each of the two vertical tubes or sleeves 9 is a flange 9a (see Figure 9) to which is bolted a ring ll above which is a packing l2 and a bushing l3. Passing downwardly through the sleeve 9 is a tubular rudder post M, the top of which extends above the top of the sleeve and which has a collar l5 at its top, there being a second bushing, not shown, in the sleeve 9 for the upper end of the rudder post. The rudder posts I4 are thus rotatably supported with their axesv inclined from a vertical plane.

On the lower end of each rudder post is a rudder I6, which as shown in Figure 4 is streamlined in horizontal section, with the leading edge spaced well forwardly of the rudder post, so that a considerable ratio of the area forwardly of the post to the total area of the rudder is large.

The portion of the rudder forwardly of the post,

as readily seen in Figure 5 is close to the wheel and hence in a high velocity point in the slipstream.

In Figure 5, the dotted arrows indicate the general direction of the slip-stream, and the forward edge 16a of the rudder is substantially normal or perpendicular to the angle of attack of the stream, as is also the axis of the rudder post. The bottom edge lBb of the rudder is straight, and is perpendicular to the axis of the rudder post. The top of the rudder is curved, as is also the trailing edge. a

The rudders thus described are auxiliary to the main rudder or rudders not shown and which are forwardly of the wheel, but in Figure 1 the tiller for the main rudder is shown at H. Operation of the two auxiliary rudders is accomplished through the use of starboard and port quadrants I 8 and I8 (see Figure l) which are operated in a manner known in the art, and forming no part of my invention, by the cables that operate the main tiller. quadrants there is a cable [9 that attaches to a rudder quadrant 20 carried on each rudder post. In Figure 10 one of these quadrants is shown in detail, and it has a split hub or collar 2| which is The rudder quadrants on the port and starboard rudders are reversed, and the two quadrants are connected by a rigid link 2|. Sheaves 22 and 22 serve to guide the cables, and each cable may have a turnbuckle 23 therein.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that my invention provides an arrangement wherein the axes of the auxiliary or monkey rudders are perpendicular, or substantially so, to the slip-stream, as is also the leading edge and a substantial part of the streamlined forward por-' tion extends forwardly into the slip-stream where 7 it is at nearly maximum velocity. This produces the maximum steering action with the least effort, and is especially effective in making the ship respond in the forward travel of the vessel. invention is applicable to either new or existing boats, the mounting of the cross beam which carries the auxiliary rudders lending itself to different ship constructions.

While I have illustrated and described in detail one preferred embodiment of my invention, it

will be seen that this is for purposes of illustration and that various changes and modifications may .be m de mt ietrg e t e lefi e 9 1 r ir ie tion.

From each of these The the rudder having its leading edge substantially parallel with the axis of the post.

' 3. An auxiliary rudder for watercraft having a stern wheel, comprising a support rearwardly of the wheel, a rudder post on the support inclined .from a vertical position with the upper end tilted forwardly, and a rudder on the post, the rudder projecting forwardly and extending rearwardly from the axis of the post with the leading edge in close proximity to the wheel and substantiailly normal to theslip stream from the wheel. 4. An auxiliary rudder for paddle wheel propelled vessels having an axis of rotation inclinedforwardly from a vertical plane and substantially perpendicular to the slip stream immediately to the rear of the wheel. 7

5. An auxiliary rudder for paddle wheel propelled vessels having the paddle wheel at the stern, said rudder having a rudder post intermediate its fore and aft edges with itsforward edge close to the wheel, and means for supporting the rudder post at an angle which is tilted forwardly-from avertical plane.

6. An auxiliary rudder for. paddle wheel propeller vessels having the paddle wheel at the stern, said rudder having a rudder post intermediate its fore and aft. edges with its forward edge close to the wheel, and means for supporting the rudder post at an angle which is tilted forwardly from a Vertical plane, the rudder being streamlined in a horizontal cross section, with its forward edge substantially parallel with the axis of the rudder post and its bottom edge substantially perpendicular to said axis.

7. In a boat having rearwardly extending wheel beams with a paddle wheel supported thereon, the invention which comprises a transverse support at the ends of the wheel beams and extending between them, said support having end portions set into openings in the wheel beams, said support being tilted forwardly from a verticalplane, a plurality of rudder posts supported by and extending down from the support,

the rudder posts having their axes likewise inclined from a vertical plane, and a rudder on each rudder post.

8. In a boat having rearwardly extending wheel beams with a paddle wheel supported thereon, the invention which comprises a transverse support at the ends of the wheel beams and extending between them, said support having end portions set into openings in the wheel beams, said support being tilted forwardly from a vertical plane, a plurality of rudder posts supported by and extending down from the support, the rudder posts having their axes likewise inclined from a vertical plane, and a rudder on each rudder post, the rudders projecting forwardly from the posts into close proximity to the wheel.

9. In a boat having rearwardly extending Wheel beamswith 'a'paddlewheel slippbi'ted thereon, the invention which comprises a "transclined from a vertical plane, and a rudder on each rudder post, the rudders projecting forwardly from the posts into close proximity to the wheel, the rudders having bottom edges substantially perpendicular to the posts and forward edges susbtantially parallel with the posts.

ALBERT J. DAWSON. 

